Tonic

When it's 1.30am, you're slogging your guts out and you're beginning to wonder if any cartoon strip has ever made less impact in the comic world than your own I can't tell you what a pick-me-up it was to receive an email (through my editor at King Features) from one of my favorite cartoonists, the great Dan Piraro of Bizarro fame. I really hope he won't mind my adding his note here but it was just the tonic I needed.

Hey, B,
Would you pass on to Piers for me that I really love his strip. I read it almost every day on Daily Ink and he has a terrific percentage of clever jokes that amuse even a battle-worn veteran like me.
D

If you want to read a really great blog have a look at Dan's at http://bizarrocomic.blogspot.com It's beautifully written and very funny.

Tube

This is one of those strips that when completed I wish I'd done a different punch line. The idea here is that you think Quentin is going to use the tube to beat Ollie down the stairs but it is, in fact, for Ollie. I wish the final frame still had Ollie in the tube but instead he's poking out of the bottom of it saying "I win again!". The tube would look a bit 'travelled through' and Quentin would be 3 steps up and saying "Aw!"

Time machine

Someone, somewhere is going to have spine tingling spooky moment when they read this because it really will be 09:37.

Samples Update

I've updated some of the samples on the www.ollieandquentin.com website. Click here to see them.

Google ad

Look what I saw whilst reading my daily helping of the fantastic Pooch Cafe this morning. That's MY google ad on the GoComics website!

Miss Update

For those of you who wanted to see Tuesday's dreadful strip here it is in all it's awful glory. Remember you can always see Ollie and Quentin and all the other King Features strips at the excellent Daily Ink website here. Just $15 a year.

Brains of the family

Please allow a very proud father a moment to boast about his brilliant 16 year old daughter who received her GCSE examination results yesterday. 9 A Stars and 4 A's! Not only is she tall and beautiful with an extraordinary singing voice she's also incredibly clever.
Thanks for letting me get that off my very proud chest.

Miss

I would like to formally apologize for today's terrible strip. It's just about the lamest yet and I'm embarrassed to have let it go through.

Happy Birthday Quentin

Happy Birthday to my youngest brother Quentin without whom my strip would have a completely different title.

A real-life Quentin comments

I received this from a real life 'Quentin' in Raleigh NC and thought it was an amusing piece of tongue-in-cheek writing. Then I saw his almost identical comment on the News and Observer Website and realized he's being serious! OMG! I didn't think it possible to be "dismayed and resentful" at a comic strip.

I will be happy to see this strip gone.
I would envision a character named Quentin to be either dashing, brave and gallant--a rescuer of the unfortunate, or a profoundly qualified athlete who always wins.
A lugworm is actually a polychaete annelid worm of the genus Arenicola, a lowly marine form with bristles down each side--not the smooth teardrop as presented. I am dismayed and resentful at this strip.
Sincerely,
Quentin C. H (name and address supplied)

Website Update

To celebrate the return of my website to the www I've updated my opening page to include the daily strip.

Website

I am such an idiot. Visitors to www.ollieandquentin.com will notice that the site is offline. I have 3 websites with my hosting company and mistakenly thought that I only had to update my credit card details once rather than 3 separate times for each website. Payment has been made so it should be back online soon but you know what these companies are like, it's impossible to talk to them, the support site is hopeless and they won't reply to emails.

Update Friday 8th August: We're back! Phew.

Movies

I love The Lockhorns by Bunny Hoest and John Reiner. Today's joke strikes a chord with me as more often that not I come out of a movie disappointed. Movies today are FAR too long. They do usually look fabulous and the acting is fine but what about doing some ruthless editing? Editing is sooooo important. I think it's one of the most important things in producing a cartoon strip. I am forever stripping away at a joke to use the least number of words with the most simple and effective drawings. I hate having to delete a good drawing but if it's not working it's gotta go. Be brutal 'cos 'Less is More'! I would far rather see a great 90 minute movie than an average 3 hour one.

Quentin's Drawings

Quentin loves drawing. His favorite subject is "The Incredibly Exciting Adventures of Supergull and Wonderworm" and he hopes one day to become a syndicated cartoonist with this feature. Lately he's been redrawing some of his favorite fairy tales. I love drawing in his style but the coloring in is the best.

Quentin's Santa Hat

I'm really pleased with this picture of Quentin in his Santa hat. It's only a rough and I know it will never look as good when it's inked up. It's rule #3 in illustration: Inked up artwork is NEVER as good as the rough.

Summer Heights High

Have you seen this? Summer Heights High is definitely the best thing on TV at the moment. If you loved 'The Office' you'll love this. Chris Lilley not only stars in the show (as Mr.G, Jonah and Ja'mie) but he writes it too. Pure genius.
Oh, the language is pretty bad so be warned.

Seagull or Duck

Every so often I have to put in one of these jokes because people think Ollie is a duck. I admit he does look more like a duck than a seagull so it's entirely understandable. I've been drawing Ollie for many years and in that time he has changed a lot. Originally he had a gull's beak, a rounder head, proper wings and more feathers but over time he's smoothed out into the upright skittle shape that he is now. Sorry, I couldn't help it. Quentin used to be far more worm-like too, now he's a Jelly Bean!

Bad Hair Day

Do bald people have a bad head day?

Summer Holiday

I'm taking a week off to unwind in beautiful Somerset (near where I went to boarding school) so for those few of you that kindly log in to read this nonsense there won't be any more postings till Monday 28th July.

On my return I am determined to start producing 7 strips a week rather than the usual 5 and eating into my precious, and rapidly dwindling, archive.

Happy Christmas Cartoonists

Happy Christmas to all you syndicated cartoonists! If you're lucky enough to be 5 months ahead with your strip like I am then you're now probably sitting in beautiful sunshine in your shorts and t-shirt desperately trying to think about the cold snowy festive season. I surprised myself yesterday by writing some real beauties for Ollie and Quentin's first Christmas in syndication which I can't wait to sketch up.

Merry Christmas!

This week I have been drawing...

...Robots for A&C Black Publishing.

Can a Lugworm fly?

Don't worry he can bounce. (See yesterday's post).

Softening the Blow

Tomorrow's strip is one of my favorites but might appear a bit callous so today's softens the blow by having Quentin bounce when he falls off Ollie's back. Come back tomorrow to see what I mean.

Ollie and Quentin at the News & Observer

Ollie and Quentin begins a test run in the News & Observer, Raleigh NC today and runs until August 9th so if you're from that area and you're enjoying the strip please let them know by going to their comics forum at forums.triangle.com or emailing them directly at comics@newsobserver.com

Read the full story here.

Idea Revisited

Ollie and Quentin developed from a cartoon strip I used to do for the RNLI in the UK about 'Stormy Stan the Lifeboat Man' and his sidekick Eric the Seagull. This lamp joke I did years ago and revisited it for my new feature. You can see a very early Quentin in the final frame of the Lifeboat strip. Those days Quentin didn't have a name, never spoke and just seemed to fall over a lot.

Ollie and Quentin on your phone

You will soon be able to get Ollie and Quentin on your mobile phone thanks to an agreement made between King Features and ROK Comics in the UK. ROK Comics delivers comics in partnership with comics creators to mobile handsets worldwide using a sophisticated digital publishing system and Digitally Rights technology.
Along with Ollie and Quentin you'll be able to download Beetle Bailey, Hagar the Horrible, The Phantom, Popeye, Blondie and Arctic Circle. I'll be interested to see how this works. Watch this space.

Spot the difference

Ever wondered what a real Lugworm looks like? Well, here's one on the right...no left...I mean right.

Happy 40th Birthday Gemma

It's my lovely sister's 40th birthday today. She won't be happy I've told everyone how old she is. Happy Birthday Gemma.

Stray Kid

Caffeine

It's comic strip appreciation week here 'cos another great strip I read every day is Between Friends by Sandra Bell-Lundy. I can really relate to her current series about being a caffeinaholic.
I gave up caffeine a couple of years ago but still sometimes go to coffee shops to write my comic strip. I sit there drinking disgusting watery decaffeinated coffee. So weak are some of these coffees that I was even falling asleep at the tables using my blank notebook as a pillow. Last week I accidentally ordered a proper coffee and WOW, not only did I stay awake but the ideas came thick and fast.
So Thursday, my writing day, is now my caffeine day too or do you think I'm kidding myself and am about to completely fall off the wagon?

Fishy

The first strip I read every day is Pooch Cafe by Paul Gilligan. I love it although it always reminds me of the faux pas I made when meeting the great King Features Sales Team for the first time. I was asked which my favorite comic strips were and I instantly replied Pooch Cafe before my brain engaged and yelled at me that I should be naming King Features comics first. Of course I then listed some of the Kings greats but by then the damage was done.
Anyway Pooch Cafe has a fish called Fish. Ollie and Quentin have a fish called Fishy who even sits on a similar table in an identical round fish bowl. My Fishy existed long before I'd ever seen Pooch Cafe, honest.
The character came about because my son has two fish that refuse to die. He's had them about 9 years! All the others died about 8 years ago but for some reason these two just live on. We struggled to give them names but finally decided on Beany (because one looked like my old school friend Christopher Bean) and B*stard because he's... well, a right little b*stard and probably the reason all the others died. I'd like to call Ollie and Quentin's Fishy 'Beany' but Quentin looks so much like a Jelly Bean himself that it might be misleading. 'Sushi' seemed a bit obvious so until I hear from Paul Gilligan's lawyers it's going to have to remain 'Fishy'.

Paul Thompson

I love Richard Thompson's brilliant Cul de Sac cartoon strip and have promised to name a lugworm after him if ever I get the chance. The above strip was the perfect opportunity and my rough did indeed use Richard for the Worm Twister Champion's name but when I came to do the artwork it just wouldn't fit!
Next time.

Happy Dad's Day Dads

South Downs Marathon Relay

Regular readers of this blog will know I love my running. On sunday 4 teams from my running club entered the South Downs Marathon Relay where each member of the team runs approximately a quarter of a marathon each over the beautiful but hilly English South Downs. This is a very rare shot of me actually smiling during a race. The photographer made me laugh by scrambling frantically out of our way as we ran past.
I wish I could say I think of lots of cartoon strip ideas while I'm running but so far I think I can only say I've thought of one and a half.

Website Samples Update

It's been a while since I updated the samples on the Ollie and Quentin website. Click here to see a few new ones.

Ollie and Quentin visit Arctic Circle

Look at this! An Ollie and Quentin lunchbox in Alex Hallatt's wonderful Arctic Circle comic strip. This made my hair stand on end when I saw it whilst reading my comics over on DailyInk. Arctic Circle, by fellow Brit Alex, was launched just ahead of Ollie and Quentin and has quickly found it's voice. I love Alex's bold drawing style which really stands out on the page. Go look at her website www.moontoon.com or read her new blog here.
Thanks Alex, one day I hope to repay the favor.

Excuse

Sorry, it's been ages since my last post. My illustration work (the day job) has been deathly quiet this year and then like buses two meaty jobs come in together. One of them has the most crazy, stupid, mad and totally unreasonable timings ever so I've been drawing away like a nut job to try and stay on schedule. So far I'm only a week behind and am at that "don't answer the phone when it rings" stage.

There, that's my excuse.

Ollie and Quentin Blocked

I received this from my good friend Roddy. He was blocked from accessing the Ollie and Quentin website at the school where he works for the most bizarre and flattering reason.

Mum and Dad

Meet Barbara and Nigel, 2 Pigeons living in Ollie and Quentin's attic since 1937. Barbara is, in fact my lovely mum's name and Nigel, my great dad's. He wasn't too pleased to hear I'd made fun of his sore foot but I couldn't resist it. He's gonna hate that red nose.

I've started to write strips that follow on from each other, with a punchline every day of course. In the past I might have a short story covering a couple of days but now I'm going for the full week which I'm really enjoying. This has been a natural development. In trying to write one off jokes I found myself thinking about how my characters got into that situation or what happened next. This is something I love about creating a cartoon strip. It's kinda organic. I'm just going in the direction the strip wants to take me.

Best job in the world?

Could being a syndicated cartoonist be the best job in the world?

Thursdays are my ideas days, here's what I did today:

I packed a thermos flask of coffee, some water and sandwiches and set off, notebook in hand, on a ten mile walk through the beautiful Surrey countryside beside my home. It has been one of those rare but glorious British early summer days. Clear blue skies, birds singing, bluebells in the woods, gentle breeze in the air, sunlight dancing through the trees. Just fantastic.

I had lunch at the top of St. Martha's Hill next to the church (see above) overlooking miles of beautiful English hills. You can see eight counties from this spot. The location is said to have provided the inspiration for The Hill of Difficulty in The Pilgrim's Progress, going back to the time when John Bunyan lived in nearby Shalford. Winnie-the-Pooh artist, E H Shepard, frequented the spot and one of his drawings is in the church. It was a place of worship for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, but pagans can marvel at four Druid circles on the south face.

I came home 6 hours later with a weeks worth of ideas down in my book and a tan on my neck.

Now, if I could make syndication pay me a living wage this would be the best job in the world.